Works with 25 of the IPA 100 firms, 42 of the IPA 200 firms and 64 of the IPA 300 firms.

Placed 1200+ candidates within CPA firms

Actively involved in CPAFMA

Acted as ‘matchmaker’ on multiple firm mergers

Many accounting firms have their own recruiters on staff, but what extra value can an outside recruiting service bring to the table?

Internal firm recruiters are a key part of the HR and talent acquisition process, and that is why we partner with them to fill their staffing needs. They do an outstanding job of promoting the benefits of their firm, and we do an outstanding job of identifying candidates they might not reach. Our team has created a strong national network. This enables us to target specific candidates by job, geography and industry specialization. We have built our success on relationships, and see this again and again in referrals. We see the big picture, and come at recruiting from a different vantage point. When combined with what CPA firms have in place for staffing, the value we add is tremendous.

What’s the biggest opportunity for CPA firms that Premier Financial Search can help them with?

Two of the biggest challenges facing CPA firms are staffing and succession planning. These are two of our largest areas of focus. As we work solely with public accounting firms, our entire inventory consists of candidates coming from local, regional and national firms. Our candidate interview process is in-depth and allows us to determine a candidate’s ultimate career goal. We can then make ideal matches based on the needs of the hiring firms.

How has the staffing industry changed with the rise of social media, specifically LinkedIn, in your years as an executive recruiter?

Much has changed in the industry since I started recruiting in 1998. LinkedIn has leveled the playing field when it comes to identifying talent. Recruiters and HR professionals alike can easily determine a talent pool at a particular level within a geographic area. Candidates tell me that they receive five to 10 emails via LinkedIn from recruiters and firms per week. This has created a Tinder-like atmosphere in which candidates feel they can be selective, swiping past opportunities until they find their perfect match. Recruiting is, and has always been, about relationships. For us, Monster, Indeed and LinkedIn open the doors to relationships. A positive for us is that LinkedIn allows us to reach more candidates on a national level. Interestingly, 30% of the candidates we place are relocating from one geographic area to another.

What makes Premier Financial Search different than other staffing companies?

We recruit and place nationally. We have placed candidates from almost every state into Top 100, 200 and 300 firms. We know what differentiates one firm from another. When a candidate considers making a move, their knowledge of firms is often focused on the very recognizable national firms. We assist by educating candidates on many things: the differences among national, regional and local firms; which firms offer industry specialty services; how one firm’s succession plan may be vastly different than another’s; how one firm’s culture compares to others. We know the market. With 20 years of expertise focused on one area, we know the trends, firms to watch, M&A rumors and important details not included on firm websites.

Final thoughts?

Our passion is placement within public accounting. In an overheated market for talent, we provide top candidates, allowing our clients to grow and properly plan for partner succession.